This relates to electronic components and, more particularly, to mounting electronic components onto substrates such as printed circuit substrates.
Components such as integrated circuits, attachment structures, stiffeners and other electronic devices and structures are typically mounted to printed circuit substrates using solder. In a typical arrangement, solder paste is printed onto conductive pads on the surface of the printed circuit substrate. A pick and place tool may then attach components to the substrate by placing components on the printed solder paste. Following placement of components on the substrate, the substrate may be conveyed into a reflow oven to convert the solder paste into solder connections.
In conventional arrangements, components on the printed circuit substrate shift during the reflow process as the solder melts. Components shifting during the reflow process can result in inaccurately placed components or can cause the components to topple over during reflow. Components with more complex shapes are sometimes soldered by hand after reflow, but this process often results in lower quality printed circuit arrangements and can adversely affect throughput.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for mounting components to printed circuits.